When They Meet Again
by sara.kim3190
Summary: Sasuke had left Konoha after the Infinite Tsukiyomi war, leaving Sakura behind but promising to return. He had it all planned out in his head but what happens when the submissive puppy dog Sakura he saw when he left isn't the same one when he returns?


The story takes place after the Infinite Tsukoyomi war

* * *

Sasuke gazed upon the grand Konoha entrance. A caressing breeze brushed against him, as if the village was welcoming him back home. A tiny grin graced his lips; it had been too long.

As promised, the ex rouge nin had travelled through all the nations and visited countless villages to ensure that after the Infinite Tsukuyomi crises, the world was healing. To his surprise, he had been greeted with open arms from the Kages. He had no longer felt as an outsider, but Sasuke never forgot the damage he caused. He was always reminded of his destructive past from the wary glances from strangers, the way parents would distance their children from him, from old wanted posters with his face on them.

However, all of those things pushed him to right those wrongs. Sasuke constantly pushed himself to help with rebuilding homes, schools, and learned basic medic nin techniques to heal those injured from the war. He went above and beyond what was expected of him because that was what he expected from himself.

Now he was in front of Konoha; the place where his journey began and where it would end.

Naruto had no idea of his arrival. The two had sent letters to each other throughout their time apart. Sasuke would give him a brief summary of the village he was at and in return, Naruto would send a 10-page essay about how much he loved his girlfriend Hinata.

Reading about his undying love for the Hyuuga, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder about Sakura. How was she? Their parting was reminiscent of the time he had left to see Orochimaru so long ago. He couldn't help but worry that she would think he wouldn't come back. From Naruto's words, she didn't think that way at all. She was waiting for him as she had always been.

He would make it up to her for all those years and today was the first day of gaining her forgiveness.

The gatekeepers, Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane were the first notice him.

"SASUKE UCHIHA?" Kotetsu yelled in absolute shock.

The nin's grin grew a bit wider.

* * *

Sasuke's first stop was the hospital where a flabbergasted nurse checked his body and chakra levels. His main reason for coming here first was to finally attach his artificial arm created by Tsunade. It had been rather troublesome only having one hand. Patiently, he waited for the medic nin.

"Sasuke Uchiha?"

At the sound of her voice, Sasuke's ears perked. For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, the Uchiha's eyes took in Sakura standing there in the doorway wearing a white lab coat with a huge smile.

He said her name like he had been suffocating and she was his first breath of air. "Sakura."

Her smile only widened. "I have your arm," she giggled, waving the artificial limb around.

The prestigious medic nin sat by his bedside, gently touching his dismembered arm. The second her skin touched his, her emerald eyes softened.

Her alabaster fingers emitted a light green aura. "It's healed well," she said fixing her gaze upon his.

Sasuke didn't say anything because he wasn't quite sure what to say. There were so many things he had wanted to tell her. There was something odd about the woman in front of him though. He hadn't expected her to be so...calm.

"I'll begin attaching your new arm," she said, starting the surgery. "This will sting a bit."

The Uchiha didn't even notice it. He was too fixated on how Sakura looked. The last he saw her, her skin was scratched and bruised. Her eyes had deep-set bags and she had been near crying when he left. The war had taken a great toll on her but right now, in that moment, she looked radiant.

"Naruto's in the waiting room causing a huge fit," she said, rolling her eyes. "I told him he can see you once we're done reattaching. This shouldn't take more than 15 minutes."

Sasuke gave a slight nod.

"Just as conversational as always I see," she jested. "The village is going to be in a frenzy now that you're back. Prepare for some rowdiness."

The Uchiha's lips barely parted to say something, but the current Hokage interrupted them.

"Welcome home Sasuke," said Kakashi, walking through the doorway. "Was I interrupting something?"

 _Yes._

"No not at all sensei," Sakura said, eyes bright. "I'm just attaching Sasuke's new arm, shouldn't be done soon."

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me sensei anymore," said Kakashi sensei, shaking his head. "But that means Sasuke can't move anywhere right now, right?"

"Nope," she chirped, knowing Kakashi was planning something.

From his pocket, he retrieved a book of Icha Icha paradise. "I have waited for this moment for so long." He began at page 1. " He saw her as she was showering under the-"

"All done!" Sakura exclaimed. Underneath his mask, Kakashi frowned.

Sasuke flexed his new hand, curling it into a fist. Incredibly, he could manifest chakra into it. There was no way except for the faint band around the reattachment site, that this was a fake hand.

"Thank you Sakura."

"It's no problem Sasuke, just doing my job. I'm going to get Naruto in here, he's probably fuming in his seat," she laughed, walking out the door.

Kakashi watched Sasuke's eyes follow her out the door. "Beautiful, isn't she?"

Sasuke shot him a sharp look that made Kakashi put both hands in the air, pretending to be threatened.

"She is more composed than I expected."

The Hokage shrugged. "You've been gone for two years. You were gone for much longer when you went rogue. She's grown."

Sasuke realized he was right. Even after he was accepted back into the Leaf village, he had only stayed for a little bit. He had only met Sakura when they were in battle. His current image of her was still when they were young teenagers. She could be a completely different person now.

Seconds later, a booming voice echoed from the halls. "SASUKE! MOVE OUT OF THE WAY! SASUKE!"

The Uchiha braced for impact. Shooting through his door was the blonde, torpedoing Sasuke into a bear hug.

Following him was a sighing Sakura. "Naruto, he's still a patient. Get off him."

He did as told. "Man you look great! Look," he said, putting his arm next to Sasuke's recently attached one. "They look super realistic, huh? Nothing less from our #1 medic nin," he beamed. "You hungry? We should totally go to Ichiraku's for some ramen."

 _Nice to see some things never change._

"I'll have to pass on that one," Sakura said. "I'm still on shift, remember? I'll see you guys after I'm done though." She gave Sasuke a smile. "We'll talk later, ok?"

He nodded, and after telling Naruto one last time to behave; the pink haired beauty was gone.

* * *

AN: Be sure to leave a review telling me what you thought! :)


End file.
